Sochi 2014: Mountains of Money

The Olympics are as much about money as they are about sports. Between merchandising, sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and construction of the Olympic venues themselves, there's a lot of money to be made. In the case of Russia's Winter Olympics in Sochi, there's more money to be made than ever before—especially if you're a friend of President Putin.

The 2014 Winter Games have cost …

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The Olympics are as much about money as they are about sports. Between merchandising, sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and construction of the Olympic venues themselves, there's a lot of money to be made. In the case of Russia's Winter Olympics in Sochi, there's more money to be made than ever before—especially if you're a friend of President Putin.

The 2014 Winter Games have cost Russia about $50 billion, making them the most expensive in history. Corruption watchdogs say it's ordinary Russians who will end up footing the bill for this excess, not private investors as Putin has suggested.

We went to Sochi to investigate the claims of corruption and kickbacks, tour the some of the most expensive Olympic venues ever built, and talk to Sochi residents who have been pushed aside to make room for Putin's man-made mountains of money.

To keep up with VICE Correspondent Simon Ostrovsky's coverage of the Olympics on VICE News through February, follow him on Twitter: @simonostrovsky.